Come down to Waypoint Park and see what everyone is so excited about! Walking into the park from Central Avenue you will enjoy Bellingham’s unique skyline with views of Whatcom Waterway, Lummi Island and cityscape. Just a few steps away a quaint playground awaits providing a natural play experience, with a nod to the site’s history. Wander down to the beach to enjoy the waterfront, and notice the hundreds of plants, shrubs and trees planted throughout the park helping restore the natural habitat. Before you leave make sure you stroll along the paths down to the park’s namesake, the art installation known as “Waypoint” (a.k.a. the “Acid Ball”). This industrial relic, originally used in wood pulp processing, has been turned into sculpture that lights up at night. Discover the interactive reflective glass beads by shining your own light on the art piece!
Amenities
- Beach
- Overwater Pier
- Waypoint sculpture
- Picnic tables
- Bicycle racks
- Playground
- Water Access
Hours
6:00 am to 10 pm daily
Directions
1145 Granary Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
Please be aware there is no parking available at the park, visitors are encouraged to walk, bike or use public transportation. Bike racks are available on site. Parking will be available once the new road is open.
History
In 1926 Ossian Anderson opened Bellingham’s first pulp mill on the south side of Whatcom Waterway. Georgia-Pacific acquired the waterfront mill site in the early 1960’s and kept it operational until 2001 when a majority of the plant shutdown. The Port of Bellingham acquired the waterfront property from GP in 2005 and dedicated a public easement for the park to the City of Bellingham in 2017.
In 2013 the City officially began design and permitting of over 1.5 acres, which soon would be known as Waypoint Park. The construction began in 2016 and included redevelopment of Central Pier, 165 feet of treated wood bulkhead and wood piling removal, removal of thousands of feet of impervious surface, over 10,000 square feet of new beach creation, habitat restoration, and installation of one of the first raw water irrigation systems in our park system.
Throughout the planning and design process members of the community expressed interest in somehow preserving part of the site’s history. The Acid Ball, an industrial artifact built around 1938 was chosen as a piece of interest for the City’s One Percent for the Arts Program. The Acid Ball was used as a relief system to draw liquid and gas from the digester tanks (a.k.a. the “rocket ships”), to maintain constant pressure while the wood chips were cooked at high temperatures in the digester tanks. The Acid Ball, weighing over 430,000 pounds and measuring over 32 feet in diameter, was moved over 1,000 feet from its original location to the water’s edge. In 2018 Mutuus Studio of Burien, WA, transformed the Acid Ball into artwork that now can be seen by water or land.
Notice
Waypoint Park is a smoke-free and alcohol-free park. View additional park rules.
Photo Gallery
Contacts
Parks and Recreation
(360) 778-7000
parks@cob.org
All Parks Department Contacts
Online Registration and Facility Availability
